A Time To Forgive A Time To Forget
by Miss-Mason123
Summary: The tale of Delphi Erwin. A lone girl from District 4. Her life seems normal, she has a family and she has friends. But some shocking news changes everything. Her life is flipped and soon she will be running. Running for her life. I do not own anything to do with THG. This is purely for your enjoyment. R&R!
1. Chapter 1

Its 20 years after the terrifying 75th Hunger Games. 20 years after the rebellion led by Katniss Everdeen. 20 years after the world as we know it changed. My name, Delphi Erwin. My home, District 4. My age, 16. I bet you're wondering why I'm telling you this. Well, this is my story. But be warned. You may not like what you hear.

* * *

The calming ocean breeze washed over my face and I sighed in relief. "A few more days!" I shouted. "And I'm free from my parent's restraints!" I lifted my arms above my head and span happily, my light red hair hitting me in the face. I stopped and fell onto the soft golden sand, feeling giddy. A small giggle escaped my lips and I clamped a hand over my mouth but it kept coming. I felt warm hands cover my eyes and I smiled. "Watch what you're doing Delphi, you're going to hurt yourself one day." A familiar male voice said. I tore their hands off my eyes and my smile grew wider, creating dimples in my cheeks.

"Davvid!" I cried as I stood up. I embraced him tightly.

"Del- Can't breathe!"

"Oh sorry." I let go and looked at my best friend. His sandy hair fell into his lively green eyes and he flicked it away. His tanned skin had a few freckles on his cheeks that stood out in the bright sunlight of District 4. He was incredibly handsome and I'd told him that several times but he never believed me. "So, what are you doing here? I thought you'd be working."

"Nah," he said. "I got the day off. So I decided to collect some driftwood for my sculptures." I nodded. Davvid was a keen sculptor and people all over the district bought his sculptures. "I'll help you if you'd like." He nodded and we started to comb the beach.

* * *

We walked back towards the city, arms loaded with driftwood. "So Davvid, my birthdays coming up," I nudged him with my elbow. "Just thought I'd let you know." He glanced at me, smirked and raised an eyebrow as if to say 'I know that and I know what I'm giving you.' "What's your latest sculpture going to be then?"

"I'm glad you asked, it's going to be a-" As he droned on about his new sculpture, I thought about my upcoming birthday. I'm going to 17. In my home, 17 is an important age. It's when - and if - I choose to or not to leave home. "So what do you think?" Davvid's voice pulled me out of my daydream.

"What?" He chuckled.

"Were you even listening to me?"

"I erm…Well erm…No…" I could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks and I looked down. I heard him laugh again. Obviously because I was looking to the floor, I collided into a pole. I crashed to the floor, the driftwood scattering around me. "Ow, my head."

"I did tell you earlier to watch what you're doing because you were going to hurt yourself."

"Yeah, I realise that now." I grumbled as I stood up. He and I bent down to pick up the driftwood I had dropped and our hands brushed against one another's. When we straightened back up, I shoved my pile into his arms and started to walk away. "You have got to tell him," I murmured. "But not today."


	2. Chapter 2

I hooked my fingers around the doorframe of Davvid's workshop (I know he has his own workshop) and peered into it. He was stood there, busily working away on his new sculpture. I pursed my lips and furrowed my eyebrows. "What is it?" I muttered and looked closer. However, during my muttering, Davvid must have heard me. He looked up and smirked. "Hey Del, didn't expect to see you here."

"Well, I am here." I walked in and sat on a nearby chair. "What is it?" He chuckled deeply.

"It's supposed to be a leaping fish but," he frowned and moved a piece of wood. "It's not sitting right."

"I can tell." I reached out and moved something else. I smirked and looked smug. "Looks better now." My smirk vanished when he glared at me.

"You know the rules of my workshop don't you Del?" I nodded slowly. "Rule number 1: Don't touch anything I'm working on." I bit my lip and backed off. _How could I forget? _Davvid has a mild case of OCD. If he's working on something, only _he _can touch it. It's almost like it'll break or go horribly wrong if anyone else touches it. "I, I'm sorry." I murmured, looking at my tatty boots. I bit my lip and remembered why I had come here.

"Delphi…" He sighed loudly. I heard his footsteps and slowly his sandaled feet came into view. My head was lifted up and he stared into my stormy grey eyes with his green ones. "You shouldn't be the one apologising; I was the one who snapped at you." He smiled at me and hugged me. I hugged him back and leant my head against his warm chest. "Go home Del, get some sleep." I stepped away from him and smiled sleepily.

"What about you? Are you not tired?" I looked out the window at the sky, slowly turning a dark shade of indigo. He shook his head and went back to his sculpture. I smiled and walked out the workshop and towards my home.

* * *

"Mom! Dad! I'm home!" I looked around, not seeing my parents anywhere. What I did see though was a large, rectangular box on the table in front of me. I smirked and crept towards it. No doubt it was one of my birthday presents. I reached for the box and a knife slammed onto the already marked surface. "Delphi, that's not for you." I twisted round and saw my older brother Jarvis there, fingers clutched around the knife handle.

"It obviously is for me, it's my birthday soon."

"Yes, but's it not your present." He smirked at me and ran a hand through his brown, shaggy hair. His grey eyes, like mine only lighter, sparked mischievously. "It's my new knife set." He lifted the lid and placed his knife back in. I narrowed my eyes and scowled. _Why was it that he always got gifts and I didn't?_

"So, what have you done now to impress Dad?" I snapped.

"Nothing, but it seems to me that I'm the favourite." He picked up his box and bounded upstairs. His footsteps echoed off the walls and his door slammed shut. The house was silent until I heard the dull thuds of his knives hitting the wall. I sighed and collapsed into a chair in the lounge.

* * *

The TV flickered in front of me; I wasn't really concentrating on it. Suddenly the Capitol's symbol was displayed. My attention was now fully on the screen. "An important transmission from the Capitol." The symbol spun and disappeared. It was replaced by a live feed from the Capitol showing President Paylor.

"People of Panem…This announcement is of vital importance. One that should listened to by everyone." I swallowed, not sure what she meant. "It seems an alliance has been formed here in the Capitol containing members from every district. This alliance has attempted a coup against me and my government. Thankfully, they failed in this attempt. However, I will be making certain decisions and punishing members of every district. Be warned. If something like this happens again, there will be harsher consequences." The TV blackened and the room was silent. I felt my eyelid twitch.

"Punishing members of every district…" I heard a voice say. I turned and saw my mom.

"Mom, don't worry about this, we can't get punished. We haven't done anything." I stood up and walked over to her. She tended to get flustered during moments like this. She was shaking violently. "That's the trouble Delphi…We have done something…"

"What? What have we done?" She closed her chocolaty brown eyes. When they opened, there were tears sparkling in them.

"Your dad…He's part of the alliance…The one who attempted to overthrow President Paylor…"


	3. Chapter 3

My eyes widened and I stepped away from her. I started to laugh. "You have got to be kidding me! I'm not 5 anymore Mom, you can't scare me!" She reached out for me, her hands shaking terribly. "No…I'm not kidding you Delphi…" Suddenly there was a knock on the door. We froze.

"I'll get it!" Jarvis called out as he ran down the steps, two at a time.

"No! Jarvis!" I shouted but he was already at the door and throwing it open. The house fell deathly silent.

"What's going on?" Davvid stepped over the threshold, two fishing rods balanced on his wide shoulders.

"Nothing, nothing's going on," I said quietly. "What're you doing here?" He extended a fishing rod towards me.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go fishing, you know the best stuff comes out at night." I swallowed.

"Erm, sure." As I followed him out of the house, I threw a glance back at Mom. She was still shaking, obviously unnerved by President Paylor's message.

* * *

Sitting on the small pier, I kicked my feet through the still lukewarm waters. I glanced over at Davvid who concentrating intensely on the end of his line. My heart raced as my eyes glided over the planes of his face. I couldn't help once again to notice how handsome he was. His strong jaw that I longed to run my fingers over, his full lips that I had always dreamed to kiss, the way his eyes glittered in the silky smoothness of the moonlight. I sighed and turned back to my own fishing rod. Feeling a pull on the end, I grasped it tightly and pulled. The fish leapt out of the water and landed on top of me, taking the wind out of me. I hooked my fingers into its gills and slammed it onto the salty floor of the pier. Davvid chuckled behind me and I swear I could feel the happiness radiating off of him. "Delphi…" I turned my head towards him at his whisper. "There's a reason why I asked you to come fishing with me." I stopped breathing. _Is he going to say what I think he's going to say? Oh please say what I'm thinking you're going to say. _"Well, you know how we've been friends a long time," I nodded. "I was wondering if you could do something for me." My mouth gaped open.

"Anything. I'd do anything for you Davvid."

"Could you-" His words were broken off as a massive wave crashed over us, soaking us to the skin. When it receded, I frowned. It had taken my fish with it. I wrung out my hair and let it drip lazily around my shoulders. I marvelled at the sight of the small droplets of salt water shimmering in his hair and on his skin. I cleared my throat. "So, what did you want me to do?" He looked down at the decking then back up at me.

"Nothing, nothing. The moments passed." He picked up his rod and stormed off.

* * *

For the second time that day, I went into my home. They only difference was that Jarvis' knife set wasn't on the table. It was eerily quiet, I couldn't even hear Jarvis throwing his knifes against the wall. "Mom? Jarvis? Anybody home?" I called out apprehensively. I shrugged, pulled off my boots and set them by the door. I padded up the stairs in my socks and silently opened my bedroom door. I closed it and leant against the old wood. "I've gone mad." I murmured. Not bothering to change out of my salt-soaked clothes, I collapsed into bed. That night, I had a strange dream.

* * *

_Running, I don't know who from or where to, but I'm running. A loud growl echoes around the forest and I run faster. Tree branches snag in my hair and twigs scratch at my face. The ground feels cold but also hot beneath my naked feet. A tree root rises below me and I fall. Curling into a ball, I hope whatever's chasing me leaves. The sound of an animal sniffing appears around my head. I open my eyes and scream. A large mountain lion hovers above me, its teeth bared. As it's about to bite down on my neck, a howl pierces the air and the cat bounded away. I sat up panting. What was all that for? And what was it that scared the mountain lion away?_


	4. Chapter 4

I woke up screaming, beads of sweat dripping down my face. Someone outside the room began to hammer on the door. Jarvis' voice floated in, hard and urgent. "Delphi! Delphi let me in!" I stumbled out of bed and winced at the soreness of my limbs. I unlocked the door and pulled it inwards. Jarvis came bounding through, brandishing a wicked looking knife. He whipped his head back and forth and furrowed his eyebrows. "I thought you were in danger."

"Well, unless dreams can hurt me, no." I snapped. He didn't deserve that tone of voice from me. _He's your older brother; he's supposed to look out for you. _"I'm sorry Jarvis…It was just a really weird dream…" I shook my head and sat heavily onto my plump, bright green beanbag. I looked up at him and found the hardness in his grey eyes soften.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked softly. I sighed and wrung my hands together.

"What time is it?" I asked, trying to get off the subject.

"It's 7:30. I was just about to go get some breakfast," he smiled warmly. _I haven't seen that smile in ages. _"Care to join me?" In answer to his question, my stomach growled loudly. "I'll take that as a yes."

* * *

"You know Jarvis, this actually tastes pretty good." I said around a mouthful of a halibut breakfast wrap. He turned towards me and flicked some flour at my face. "Don't they always?" He said sarcastically. I pulled a face.

"No, not always. Remember when you tried putting anchovies in with the halibut?" It was his turn to pull a face.

"I remember now." He turned back towards the counter. I stared at my wrap, my thoughts running wildly. _What had Davvid wanted last night? It's true, I was wondering what he wanted me for but…I'm still confused. _I glanced up at Jarvis. _I could ask Jarvis, he's the same age as Davvid._ I sighed and bit into the wrap in my hands but it no longer tasted as good as before. I hopped off of my stool at the breakfast bar and walked into the hallway. I needed to escape for a few hours. I pulled on my tatty old boots and unbolted the door. The dim sunlight of District 4 hit my face and filled my body with its gentle warmth. "Jarvis! I'm going out!" I called before leaving the house.

* * *

The first place I looked for Davvid was the workshop. I was surprised that he wasn't there; his new sculpture wasn't even halfway done yet. His home was my second stop. Even his parents didn't know where he was when I asked. Thanking them, I walked off towards the beach, thinking he'd be there; he was. The first thing I saw of him was his golden hair gleaming in the sunlight. "Davvid!" I called out happily, walking towards him. He turned towards the sound of my voice and frowned. "You shouldn't be here Delphi, go home."

"I don't understand; why shouldn't I be here? This is a public beach." He looked around before bounding over to me. He clasped my small hands in his large ones and stared into my eyes. "I'm so sorry Delphi…They…They paid me to lead you here…" I frowned.

"They? Whose they Davvid?" He didn't answer me. "Davvid! Just tell me!" A pair of strong hands grasped my shoulders and I felt myself getting dragged away from Davvid. "What's going on?" I cried, trying to wrestle free.

"You're being taken to the Capitol, Miss Erwin." A gruff voice from behind me said.

* * *

"Why? I haven't done anything wrong!" I tried to dig my heels in but the sand below my feet didn't allow it. A phone rang and I stopped being dragged. _This is my chance to escape! _I tried to pull free, but the man's hands on my shoulders were in a vice like grip. The cool metal of the phone was pressed against my ear. "Speak." The man commanded.

"H…Hello?" I whispered.

"Miss Erwin. It's so…Nice to speak to the daughter of a man who tried to overthrow me." _Oh man…That's President Paylor… _"As I broadcasted last night, I have decided to punish members of every district. Since your father was involved in this alliance, I'm taking you, his daughter, to the Capitol. It's time to leave." Her voice clicked off. I glared at Davvid; his face was clearly showing that he was deeply sorry. "How…Could you?" I screamed at him. "How could you do this to me?" My body went limp and I was pulled away. I didn't bother to fight. The man holding me shoved me into a car and slammed the door. I didn't hear what Davvid said but I saw his lips move. He said 2 words. "I'm sorry." I let the tears roll down my face as I was driven off.


	5. Chapter 5

We arrived at the train station and my escort, whose name I still didn't know, literally threw me out of the car. I fell to the floor, the rough ground scraping my knees through the thin material of my three-quarters. "Dammit." I hissed, sitting heavily on the ground and inspecting my knees. I looked up at the train in front of me, ready to take me to the Capitol. Tears pricked in the bottom of my eyes. This time yesterday, I was thinking about my upcoming birthday and spending it with my family and friends. Now I'd be spending it locked up with no-one beside me. "Get up; onto the train." The man said behind me. I stood up and reluctantly began to walk to the train. "Will there be other people on board?" I turned my head backwards. My question had obviously fazed him.

"Yes, there will be the people from the other districts and of course, their escorts."

"So if you're coming with me, can I know your name?" I swallowed, not sure if he would reply. It took a few minutes before he said anything again.

"Clovis, my name is Clovis." I smiled.

"That's a nice name." He smiled back before turning his face back to an unreadable mask.

"Onto the train." Sighing, I nodded and stepped onto the train. Images of Davvid's face just before I left him floated in my vision every time I blinked. I made my way to an empty room which happened to be the dining car. I sat at the table and poked at some salad with a fork. A single crystal tear rolled down my face.

* * *

I must have fallen asleep at one point sitting at the table. I felt a hand shake my shoulder and I snapped up, holding my fork out menacingly. I snarled as I turned around and came face to face with a small girl who looked no older than 9 and she looked scared. I looked at my hand which held the fork and let it fall by my side. "Hi, what's your name?" I asked in a voice that I hoped wouldn't scare her more than I obviously already had. She stepped away from me. I tried to reassure her. "No, don't be scared, I just don't like being woken up." She looked down and wrung her hands together. Her shag cut brown hair fluttered lazily around her head and I could see that her cerulean blue eyes were filled with tears. "Hey. I'm sorry. I just, my best friend gave me over to these people…" The small girl looked up and frowned. "That's what happened to me…" Her voice was soft and tentative. "I was with my friend at the edge of the meadow. She told me to look somewhere and I did…The next thing I know, I wasn't in the meadow and I was on the train." I cocked my head to the side.

"Do you think that happened with everyone?" The small girl nodded slightly. The train slowed down immensely at that point. I got up from the table and went to nearest window. We pulled into the station and I saw a boy around my own age standing there, clearly not happy. He carried himself like a wild cat; alert and ready to pounce at any given moment. A white sign on the platform said 'District 2'. The little girl joined me at the window and immediately cowered away. "He scares me…" She said, snuggling into my side. I held her close as he boarded. He stepped into my car and looked around. I crouched down and whispered to her "Go in another car, trust me." She nodded again and nearly ran next door. The boy narrowed his eyes and pounced.

* * *

I ducked and rolled as he came at me. I twisted round and stood up just as he hit the floor. I walked over and placed a foot on his back; I watched him try and break free. "Are you going to play nice if I let you up?" He didn't answer me. Sighing, I let him up. Big mistake. He kicked me in the stomach and I fell backwards. His kick had winded me and I lay on the floor, struggling to breathe. He knelt on my chest and knocked the breath right out of me again. A fierce snarl came from behind his clenched teeth. I raised my arms and pushed on his chest. He wasn't expecting that and fell off me. I sat up, rubbing my chest. "What is wrong with you?" I snapped. The door behind me hissed open and I pulled up off of the floor, the boy too was pulled up.

"What did you do Miss Erwin?" That was the steely tone of Clovis who was holding the guy from District 2.

"Me? I didn't do anything! He just attacked me!" For the first time since he got on, the boy spoke up.

"As I recall, it was you who attacked me." My eyes widened. His voice was like liquid honey. _How could he sound like that after the savagery he attacked me with? _"You have got to be kidding me! I was here with…With whatever her name is and you came in and attacked me!" The boy's eyes narrowed.

"I honestly have no idea what you're talking about." He glanced up at the man holding me, who must have been his escort and said "Gideon, you believe me, right?" His eyes were wide like a puppy's. _He's acting like the innocent party here. _

"I believe you." Gideon released me and I stumbled forward. I walked up to the the boy and prodded his chest.

"This. Is not over."


	6. Chapter 6

I soon found a car with several rooms in it. 13 in fact. On the front of each door were our district numbers, our names and why we were here in the first place. I soon found mine, written in a flowing golden script.

Delphi Erwin- Daughter of Lucas Erwin, traitor of the Capitol. District 4

I sighed and slid the door across. I blinked in surprise when I saw it. The wallpaper was a soft blue and the carpeting was a pale cream; it reminded me of home. I shook my head and closed the door softly. "Dammit!" Came a muffled cry from further down the corridor. I furrowed my eyebrows together and walked towards the room it had come from. This name was written in a grey jagged font.

Nolan Lockhearst. District 2

"Obviously has no reason to be here." I muttered. I listened carefully, hoping to hear what was going on in his room. There was a sharp zap, as though something was being electrocuted and there was a crash against the door. I stepped back and leant against the wall behind me. A strange scent caught my nose. It was the smell of burning hair. I reached out for the door handle but a large hand blocked my way. It was Nolan's escort, Gideon. "I wouldn't advise you of that Miss Erwin."

"And why not?" I snapped. I wanted to know what was going on but more importantly, why Nolan had attacked me.

"Mister Lockhearst has been detained. You open that door and he will do something bad."

"So what's with the electrocution?"

"Oh that? We electrified his window so he wouldn't jump out and run back to District 2." I raised an eyebrow.

"Is he really that bad?" He nodded and slipped off down the corridor, probably towards the car that held the escorts rooms. Sighing, I walked back to the room that was my own, the one that reminded me too much of home.

* * *

I rummaged through the drawers in my room, frowning at the slim variety of clothes in them. "No. Not good. Definitely not." I muttered to myself. "Would not be seen dead in that." I shook my head and closed the drawer. There was a small knock on the door and I went over to it. Sliding the door open, I frowned at the person stood there. It was Clovis. "Can I help you?"

"You're wanted. Follow me." He left it at that. I shrugged and followed him. I hadn't been this way down the train before. The numbered doors of the car showed that we were going to the back of the train. I was going to ask who wanted me, but from the way Clovis was acting, I thought better of it. After walking for about 5 minutes, we came to a blank wall. "Uh Clovis, this isn't a door." Not saying a word, he placed his large hand on it and it glowed beneath his palm. It popped open with a hiss. As we walked through, I whispered "This is so cool." We ended up in a room filled with glowing computer screens and inactive holodisks. Without realising he'd moved, I heard the hiss of the door behind me and I whipped around, finding he'd left me here in the soft blue glow of the computers. "Delphi? Is that you?" I froze. _Surely not…That can't be… _

"Dad?"

* * *

Slowly turning around, I saw him. My dad. A smile crept onto my face. "Daddy! It's you!" He smiled back at me. He looked terrible, cuts and bruises covered everywhere I could see, but he looked…Real. I charged towards Dad to embrace him but I slipped through his body. My whole demeanour saddened when I realised that Dad wasn't really there. He was just a hologram. "How are you honey?"

"Well, traumatised would be one word for it." I rubbed my arm absentmindedly. "Davvid gave me over to these people Dad…" I looked down, not wanting him to see me cry. "Then I was attacked when we got to District 2." I wiped my eyes and looked back up. "How are you Daddy?" He frowned.

"Beaten up, broken," he sighed. "I'm really sorry about this, I really am." His image wavered. "I expected them to take anyone of you. Jarvis was the obvious choice, even your mother. I just didn't expect that I'd see you here." The image started to fade to a dull grey. "I have to go now honey. Hopefully I'll see you soon before I'm…Gone…" With that final word, he disappeared.

"No…Daddy…" I collapsed onto my knees and cried my heart out.


	7. Chapter 7

Sometime later, I guessed maybe an hour or so, the door hissed open. "Are you alright?" I looked up from staring at the floor and frowned. I didn't say anything and glared at the newcomer. She raised her hands in surrender. "I was only trying to be nice." She leant on the table beside her and fingered a holodisk. While she stood there, I got a good look at her. _She's obviously from the Capitol, the accent gives it away. Didn't want to dye her skin an array of colours though. _I glanced at her hair which was spiked up at all different angles and a lime green colour with orange streaks. _I feel sorry for her hair though. _She was of average height and average build and didn't look anything special in her cream tank top and blue jeans but there was something hidden from me which I couldn't work out. I blinked in surprise when I realised what it was. She looked like a delicate flower that'd bend and submit to your will but she wasn't. "You're an escort."

"I like to use the term chaperon, but yes. I'm the best there is." She crouched down in front of me and pushed my hair away from my face. "I was there when the alliance tried to kill President Paylor; I dispatched 2 of them myself. Just be glad your father wasn't one of them." She stood up and pulled me with her. "I'd recommend you to get some sleep. We've stopped in District 1 because something's wrong with the train; it could take up to 2 days to fix." She walked off and, unlike Clovis, left the door open. I sighed and shuffled out of the room, leaving the flickering blue glow behind me.

* * *

I got back to my room and didn't hesitate to go in. _I do feel tired; I haven't slept properly in days. _My eyes travelled to the inviting bed but I, rather reluctantly, headed towards the bathroom for a shower. _Maybe it'll help wake me up. _The bathroom was in the same colour scheme as the main room, but everything was darker. The tiles covering the walls were a midnight blue and instead of cream, the floor tiles were a sandy colour. The shower in the corner was large enough to fit 4 of me in it and was mainly made of stainless steel. I stripped out of my old, salt encrusted clothes, folded them neatly and placed them on the toilet seat. Stepping into the shower, I bit my lip, unsure of what buttons to press. I pressed a button and squealed loudly when ice cold water hit my skin. I frantically jammed my fingers at other buttons; the water went to boiling temperatures then back down to freezing. I slammed my hand flat on a large button and the water jets stopped. Breathing heavily, I muttered "Well, I'm definitely awake now." I blinked and noticed for the first time the different temperature gages written minutely above the buttons. Scowling at them, I pressed the lukewarm button. A nice relaxing spray fell over me. I smiled and let my gaze wander over the wide variety of shower gels and hair products. Grabbing a few bottles of shower gel, I smelt each one in turn and repeated this action with the shampoos and conditioners. "This'll be a nice, peaceful shower."

* * *

I came out of the shower feeling anew. Grabbing a fluffy grey dressing gown off the back of the bathroom door, I wrapped it around my body. I took a towel off the side and began to dry my hair. I glanced out of the window and noticed the sky turning a pretty shade of pink. The words of the woman earlier floated through my mind. _"We've stopped in District 1 because something's wrong with the train; it could take up to 2 days to fix." _There was a sharp rap at the door and it slid open. "Dinner will be in 5 minutes." A small female voice said. As I turned my head, she disappeared. I sighed and went over to the drawers tucked against the wall. "Surely there's something in here I can wear." My hands skimmed over the smoothness of a shirt I hadn't seen before. I plucked it out and held it at arm's length. It was a simple green silk blouse with a golden flower insignia over the heart. Smiling, I yanked open another drawer, remembering from earlier a pair of skin tight black jeans. I threw on the ensemble and finger fluffed my hair into something reasonable. Facing the door, I smirked. "Time to meet the family." I whispered.


	8. Chapter 8

When I walked into the dining car, I was the last one there (as per usual with me). I felt relieved to see that none of the escorts were there. I spotted the small girl I met earlier and sat next to her. Her blue eyes widened at the sight of my blouse and she skimmed her fingers over the sleeve. "That's really pretty, even Clarice doesn't have anything like that." She whispered.

"Who's Clarice?" She pointed to a girl obviously in her mid-twenties. Her blond hair was hanging limply in a simple braid down her back and her olive green eyes were half closed. She caught sight of me and bared her teeth in a fierce snarl. I recoiled in my seat. "What's your problem?"

"My problem? It's my daughter's birthday today and I'm missing it!" I raised my hands in surrender. She turned her gaze to my right and snapped

"Stop looking at me like that Nadia." The small girl melted into my side, obviously not used to being shouted at.

"Hey! She's only young, and she's not even your kid so I'd shut it if I were you!" Clarice scoffed.

"Should I really?" She stood up, knocking her chair with a clatter to the floor.

"Now isn't the time," I said, trying to be the calm and collected one for once. "Just let it go." The older woman seemed to snap then. She picked up the sharpest knife on the table and dove across at me. _It's just my luck that I get attacked twice in a day. _I moved out of the way and crashed against the wall, hitting my head hard. My vision blurred and the next thing I knew, I was on the floor, with the knife pressed against my throat. A slow mocking clap echoed through the dining car.

* * *

It turns out I wasn't the last one to walk in. No, that was Nolan. And he was the one who was clapping. "Well, you just can't seem to stop fighting people; can you Delphi?" The way he said my name made me melt inside. It rolled off his tongue like silk over rocks. Then it struck me, how did he know my name? I opened my mouth to speak but Clarice pressed the knife harder, cutting off my words. "She deserved this," She hissed. "She insulted me."

"That's not tr-"

"Shut up! Or I will cut your throat out!" Her eyes bore into mine. I swear I could feel the hatred coming off her. She looked away for one moment and I took that as my chance. I grabbed her right wrist and pulled up. Sliding under the knife, I twisted and kicked her in the side, glad I had decided to keep my sturdy boots on. She collapsed onto the floor, clutching her side. I stood up and bolted for the door; the door Nolan was at. "Let me past." I said, putting as much menace in my voice as humanly possible. It didn't seem to deter him though. "Why should I?" He folded his arms and leant on the door behind him.

"Because I'm going to fight a bear, what do you think? I'm getting out of here." He raised an eyebrow at me.

"And where will you run to? Home is a long way off, and they'll catch you before you get 2 feet away from the train."

"At least I stand a better chance than you; they didn't electrify my window." At that moment, something inside him snapped. He grabbed the collar of my shirt, pressed the catch for the door – which slid open – and threw me into the corridor. I hit the floor with a crash. The corridor was deserted. I knew even if I screamed, no-one would come to my rescue.

* * *

Nolan towered above me, staring hungrily at my still figure. For the first time, I really got a look at him. His mane of onyx hair was roughly cut; most of it was just brushing his shoulders. His eyes contrasted greatly. They were a pale green, like jade, with shards of amber dancing within them. He was…Beautiful. "So, you think you stand a better chance than me to run away?" He spat. "You don't know what I did to get here."

"Yeah, you're right, I don't. Every single one of us on this train has done something to be here," I cautiously sat up. "Maybe it was just because they were related to a member of the alliance, or maybe it was something bigger. Something more…Devious." I must have hit a nerve, because he backed up, tears glittering in his gem-like eyes. He lunged forward and I shielded my face, squeezing my eyes shut. The unmistakable hiss of a door opening echoed around me and I realised he'd done it. He'd gotten off the train; he was running.


	9. Chapter 9

I'm not sure what made me do it; maybe it was the simple fact that I could run. Run far away. Maybe it was because I wanted to follow him. I honestly have no idea. I charged after Nolan, my feet sure and quick over the loose ground. An alarm sounded somewhere, probably from the train, alerting the escorts that we had escaped. I could hardly see where I was going since the day was rapidly turning into night. That was a major problem. _If only Nolan had light hair; he'd be easier to follow._ He turned right and disappeared into a large forest. I slowed down and came to a halt. "You have got to be kidding me." I muttered. I looked over my shoulder, where the train was sat, and saw Clovis, Gideon and the female escort piling out of it. I considered staying here, telling them what happened but…Somehow that didn't feel right. Once again, my mind shut off, and I ran into the forest.

* * *

"Nolan? Where are you?" I whispered since the escorts were somewhere behind me. I treaded carefully, knowing they'd hear me even if I accidently snapped a twig. A shape moved to my left and I whipped my head towards it, my red hair slapping me in the face. A hand clapped over my mouth and I yelled, but it was muffled. "I'm right here." He whispered in my ear, his voice low and menacing. "Now, I'm going to ask you a question and when I lift my hand off of your mouth, you better not scream." I tried speaking but his hand muffled my words. I quickly nodded instead. "Good." His hand disappeared and I gulped down the air. "So, why did you follow me out here?" I turned and saw him leaning on a tall rock.

"To be perfectly honest, I haven't got a clue."

"Not a single one?"

"No." He twisted his lips into a smirk. I narrowed my eyes at him. "What's with the smirk?" I asked.

"What smirk?" His lips fell into a straight line. I growled low in my throat, not sure what kind of game he was playing. He silently held up 3 fingers. Then 1 fell. Soon followed by the next and the next. When all of his fingers were down, I felt a kick in the back of my knee; it buckled and I fell to the floor. "Miss Erwin," it was the sharp tone of Gideon; Nolan's escort. "Your actions today have caused us to reconsider how safe you will be around the others-"

"And to yourself." That was Clovis. My face paled. I felt like screaming 'I haven't done anything!' But I knew it wouldn't do any good.

* * *

I was pulled up and felt the cool metal of handcuffs click around my wrists. "What about him?" I nodded my head towards Nolan, who was looking smug.

"He's coming to." The smile was wiped off his face.

"What?"

"You're coming with us; we can't let you roam free." The woman stepped forward and grasped his arm, cuffing his wrist to hers.

"This isn't fair!" He shouted, all hint of the smoothness in his voice gone. It was replaced by the fierce snarl of a wild beast. "Why doesn't she get attached to anyone?" No-one answered him, not even his own escort. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Clovis make a hand gesture by his side. He and Gideon walked forward, brushing past the trees with ease. I received a sharp push to the back and I stumbled forward, only just managing to stay on my feet. Nolan appeared beside me, but I didn't try to make conversation. Having her there made me feel really uncomfortable. Soon the lights of the still train appeared in my vision. Clovis and Gideon were nowhere to be seen, and for that I was glad. "This shouldn't be happening, it was all so simple." I heard Nolan mutter.

"Let me guess," I started. "You were supposed to jump off the train, and run. But your plan was foiled thanks to me."

"Yes, thanks to you," he had obviously calmed down for his voice had returned to its normal silky smoothness. "Now I'm back here, on my way to Capitol."

"And that is where you will stay." The sharp tone of the woman shut us both up. I sighed and stepped onto the train. _You should've kept running; you wouldn't be in this position if you had just kept running. _My conscience whispered to me. I pushed the thought out of my mind even though I knew it was right.


	10. Chapter 10

"Your shirt's torn." I looked to my left and saw Nolan pointing at my shoulder. I sighed and rested against the back of the tall chair in the room they'd put me and him in. "Like I care, it's not my shirt."

"So, you don't care that it nearly goes all the way down your front." I looked down and yelped. There was a wide, jagged cut reaching from my shoulder across my chest to where the buttons were. I lifted my left hand to sloppily pull the edges together. I would've used both hands but my right was cuffed to the chair arm. "How the hell did that happen?" I whispered, more to myself than to him.

"Isn't it obvious?" I snapped my head up to meet his eyes.

"No, or I wouldn't be asking myself."

"You struggled," I opened my mouth to speak, but he continued. "You were walking down the corridor to go back to your room when they told you to go with them. You didn't want to, clearly, and fought against them. So, they drugged you." My eyes widened and my jaw dropped.

"They, they drugged me?" He nodded and pointed at spot just above where my heart was. I cautiously lifted my hand and noticed, for the first time, the large bruise beginning to form. _Great, not only is my best shirt ruined, I now have a massive bruise crawling over my chest. No low cut tops for me. _The door opening interrupted my inner monologue.

* * *

In walked Clovis and the women; they were half way through a conversation. "I still don't see why we have to do it Mina."

"They can't be trusted, they've escaped once and they could do it again."

"Granted but I trust her more than him."

"Only because she's your district." I coughed making them realise they weren't the only ones in the room. They turned their heads towards me, blank expressions crossing their faces. I swallowed, instantly regretting my decision. The woman, recently named as Mina, held up two bands with a dull green panel on them. She handed one to Clovis and they confidently strode towards us. With a snap, the bands were attached to our arms and the panel changed hue, to a livelier green. _The same green as…As Davvid's eyes…_Just thinking about him made me start to wail like a 5 year old. "You have got to be kidding me," I heard Nolan mutter. "Crying over a tracking device." He raised his voice. "So, why not inject the tracker into us? Why go to the bother of making us wear armbands?"

"Because these aren't normal tracking devices," Clovis stated coolly. He walked behind my chair and placed his hands on the back of it. "These armbands are paired. The panels change colour depending on body temperature. If one of you decides to pick a fight with the other, your core body temperature will rise and the bands will send a signal to all of the escorts who carry hand held devices alerting them to the situation." He unclicked the handcuffs from my right ankle and the chair and I stood. My eyes caught the band with its glittering panel and I began to grow angry. _How dare they? How dare they do this to me? _What happened next, I wasn't accountable for.

* * *

I channelled my anger into energy and swung the chair up and around, knocking it on Mina's head. She crumpled to a heap on the floor, unconscious. As I swung, the arm of the chair had broken so my cuffs came off. Without thinking, I bolted for the door, grateful it swung open when I hammered on it. I had to get away; I couldn't stay there any longer. My footsteps echoed off the walls and I worried about waking someone, but no-one appeared in the doorways. "Delphi!" A muffled voice shouted. "Wait!" I didn't bother to look around, knowing it would be Nolan. The band around my arm bleeped at me and out of the corner of my eye, I saw it turn a sickly shade of blue. "Delphi, you don't understand! The tracker will-" A loud bang erupted through the nearly silent corridor. The lights shattered and we were plunged into darkness. All sounds seemed to disappear with the light. I never felt so alone.


	11. Chapter 11

The only way I could see in the corridor was because of the dull lights on mine and Nolan's trackers. I stumbled over to him and gently touched his shoulder. "What the hell happened?" I asked quietly.

"Your tracker blew the lights. Duh." I frowned in the darkness.

"Look, I'm not too clued up on this whole tracker thing; I don't know why things happen with it."

"And you obviously want me to give you all the answers."

"You're the bad boy who doesn't have a reason to be here."

"You have no idea why I'm here!" He roared. I cringed and cowered away from him. His tracker flashed a bright red.

"Calm down No-"

"No! I will not calm down!" Even in the gloom I could see him prowling off. He was walking quickly, nearly at a jogging pace. I scrambled up and followed him at, what I thought, was a safe distance. He started to mutter to himself, I could only catch a few snippets of what he was saying. "Can't believe…2 year old could…Can someone really-Wait." He snapped his head to the left and I could see his eye glittering dangerously. The tone of a maniac floated from his mouth to my ears. "Come out, come out wherever you are Delphi…You can't hide for long…" I stepped away from him quickly, not enjoying being so near to him. "Come on…You're here somewhere…I can hear you…" He crooned, turning fully around. He held his hands out in front of him, fingers turned into claws. I gulped and staggered backwards, trailing my fingertips over the wall to my left. 2 sounds filled my ears then. The scrape of metal against wood and the constant thundering of footsteps. An explosive pain shot through my right shoulder and I screamed in pain before collapsing to the floor.

* * *

_Hey! Yes, I'm talking to you! You need to wake up! Come on, wake up! _My conscience screamed at me. I felt someone shake my shoulder and I cried out in agony. "We need to pull the knife out now, before she loses anymore blood." _I got stabbed? By who? Oh wait, Nolan, it has to be his fault. Well, he did go insane. _My eyes fluttered open but I closed them again immediately. I didn't want to see her right now. "Miss Erwin," the voice was steely but gentle. It was Clovis. "We're going to pull the knife out of your shoulder. Try not to scream." I bit my tongue to stop myself from saying something rude. In one swift movement, I felt the blade being pulled from my shoulder. I couldn't help but scream. It was painful. A set of footsteps came from down the corridor. "Is everyone alright? I heard a scream." I snapped open my eyes and sat up.

"Well as a matter of fact, I just had a knife pulled out of my shoulder." The newcomer didn't deserve that comment, but I wasn't in a good mood. A sense of nausea came over me and I swayed. I pressed a hand at to my forehead, breathing deeply through the sickening feeling. I blinked in surprise suddenly. "Who turned the lights on?"

"No-one, its morning Miss Erwin."

"Morning?"

"Morning." Clovis confirmed. My stomach rumbled loudly; I hadn't eaten for 24 hours. I tried to stand so I could go to the dining car but I immediately fell down. A supportive hand gripped my upper arm and helped me up. It was the person who had just arrived. "Slow down, you lost a lot of blood, you won't be able to do much for a few hours." He smiled warmly at me. That was the last thing I saw before blacking out. In my unconscious state, I dreamt.

* * *

_It was a beach, similar to the one where Davvid handed me over to the authorities. The only difference was that it wasn't Davvid stood there with his golden hair and gleaming eyes, no. It was Clovis. I was simply an observer of what was going on. "Don't go with him Miss Erwin. I beg of you don't go." _

"_I have to…" I watched me say. "I'm sorry Clovis, but I have to…" A single tear came to his eye and he turned away. _

_"You don't understand though. Ever since I met you-" The sound of gunfire erupted through the beach and he fell to the floor, chest spurting blood. He was…Dead… I ran to his side just as the other me did. "No, Clovis…No!" She bent over his body, crying. It was, heart wrenching to say the least. She stood up and walked to my side, grasping my hand with hers. "This is your future…Unless you can change it…" The dream then shattered around us like glass._

* * *

I must have been writhing in my sleep because a warm hand settled on my arm. My eyes snapped open and I saw Clovis sat next to me in my room, his concerned eyes trained on my face. Without thinking, I flung myself at him, wrapping my arms tightly around his chest. "Don't ever go Clovis…Don't ever go…" I whispered, my tears soaking his shirt. "I won't Miss Erwin, I won't."


	12. Chapter 12

"I'll leave you now; try not to move your shoulder too much." I nodded once and watched Clovis go. I sighed loudly and made my way over to the drawers so I could find a good shirt. I, painfully, managed to strip out of the ruined blouse and let it fall to the floor. "No-one thought to bandage my shoulder then." I frowned, glaring at the hole Nolan's knife had caused. _That is going to be an interesting story to tell people. "Oh, how did you get that scar on your shoulder Delphi?" _

"_Well, when I was 16, I was taken to the Capitol because my dad wanted to kill President Paylor. The train broke in District 1 and after I chased a boy called Nolan Lockhearst off the train, we got tracker devices attached to our arms. I got really angry then took off. I was followed by Nolan, the lights went off and he went manic. He then stabbed me in the shoulder." _I chuckled softly. "Yeah, never going to happen."

"What's never going to happen?"

* * *

"I was just thinking about what I'd say to people to explain- Wait…" I turned slowly and saw the boy from before leaning on the door frame. My left eye twitched at the thought of him stood there, watching me as I swapped my shirt. I bent down to grab the shirt I'd ripped and cried out in pain, since I had stupidly used my right arm. As tears came to my eyes, I heard him come over to me. "What…Are you…Doing here?" I choked out.

"I just wanted to make sure you were alright." Straightening up, I leant against the drawers behind me, holding my shoulder.

"Well, I don't think I am. What about you?"

"Well first of all, yeah, you're not okay. Secondly, have you got a problem?" I snapped my head towards him.

"A problem?" I scoffed.

"Yeah, is it a problem with me or is it with all boys you meet?" His brown eyes, so dark they were almost black, smouldered with an unknown fury. "I should've known you would've been this arrogant. Living in 4 your whole life has made you oblivious to the world around you." I shook my head, not believing what I was hearing. "Oh really, living in 4 has made me like this? And what district do you come from to have the rights to criticise me like that? How do you know that I'm the problem? It could be you!" He gripped my shoulders in his hands and I suppressed a wince. He shook me hard, staring into my eyes. I glared back, trying to unnerve him. "13." He stated coldly. He released my shoulders and angrily strode out of my room. I sagged against the wall, heart thumping against my chest. Sliding down to the floor, I hugged my knees to my chest. "13…"

* * *

Hours later, I was still in that position, tucked up against the wall. My hunger no longer concerned me but that last thing he had said to me. _13…13…13… _It echoed darkly around in my head, interrupting every thought I had. The door was still open and every so often I would glance up from the floor to it to see if someone was mocking me. No-one did, thankfully. The pain in my shoulder slowly ate into me, making every small movement seem like pure agony. I clutched the ruins of my old shirt in my left hand, occasionally dabbing my eyes with it when the pain got too much. A slight movement in front of me caught my eye and I looked up. There stood that small girl with the sad eyes, Nadia. "What's wrong?" She asked, squatting down beside me. I was going to answer her, I wanted to, but I just couldn't. The pain, physical and mental, had drained me so I was just a shell. She seemed to understand this, since she was nodding. "Here, you look like you need it." She pulled a small bread roll from behind her and placed it onto my knee. She gently stroked my hair away from my face. Her eyes were shining with tears as she said "Don't be sad…Please…" I tried smiling but it felt false.

"I'm not."

"You are." She sat down and snuggled into my side. I ran my hand over her hair, smoothing it down.

"Yes I am Nadia, yes I am." One silvery tear ran down my face as I rested my head against the wall behind me.


	13. Chapter 13

It took all of little Nadia's powers of persuasion to get me to stand up and put a t-shirt on. It was white with an anchor made out of silver sequins decorating the front. After this effort though, I was ready to give in. "I don't want to go out there," I mumbled to her whilst chewing on my bread roll. "They'll all laugh at me for getting stabbed." _You know that's not exactly true Delphi. _My saner side whispered to me._ What you really meant to say was "I don't want to go out there and see 13 or Nolan." _I mentally shook myself and glanced over at the small girl. "How old are you?" I asked suddenly. She beamed at me

"I'm 8; a big girl." I chuckled softly and ruffled her hair.

"Yes, being 8 makes you a big girl…" I stared blankly out of the window, noticing we still weren't moving. "Old enough to be taken to the Capitol for who knows what…" She looked up at me from the chest of drawers she was rifling through, holding a white and grey camisole.

"Mommy." She said quietly, hoping I would understand. I did. Her mom had brought this upon her.

* * *

My hands and feet were pressed against the door frame. "No, you can't make me go out there."

"Yes I can." I heard running footsteps and a second later I felt Nadia slam into my back. It winded me for a second.

"You're going to have to try harder than that." I gasped. Suddenly, I felt her tiny fingers tickling the back of my knees. I squirmed and fell through the doorway. "Not fair! I'm ticklish!" I cried out as she stood triumphantly above me. She smiled wickedly and pounced onto my chest skimming her fingers quickly over my sides. I tried to move but I couldn't from laughing too much. "Stop…Please!" I managed to get out. I wriggled away from her and sat against the wall, shaking with laughter. The sound of our laughter drowned out the footsteps coming down from the hall. I wiped my eyes which had tears in them and blinked in surprise when I saw who was stood there.

* * *

Mina's face was bruised all the way down one side, there was swelling near her temple and a clump of dry blood stood out in the lime green of her hair. I gulped and pushed myself up to a standing position. "Hi…" I whispered meekly. She didn't respond to me; instead her eyes flickered to my arm.

"Where is your armband?" She snapped. I glanced at down at my bare arm, then at Nadia who was staying away from the older woman.

"It must have…Fallen off…" I mumbled, looking at my hands.

"Fallen off? Or did you take it off?" She came closer to me, grasped my chin and pulled it up so I was looking at her. "You do realise," she continued in the same patronising tone. "That after it's been taken off for 30 minutes, it sends a signal out to the nearest person with a handheld device." I shook my head quickly. _Why would I know that? It's not like I'm clued up about these things. _A sharp pain exploded through my left cheek and I gasped, realising I'd been slapped. "Mina Roxmen!" A harsh male cry came down from the corridor. Tears rolled down onto my face as I clutched my cheek. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" I closed my eyes and buried myself into the wall. "She took her tracker off, I had to do something!"

"Yes, you had to but there was no need to slap her!"

"You can't talk to me like that!" A thud landed beside my head and I as I opened my eyes, I saw 2 things. A knife stained with dry blood and Mina down on the ground, breathing heavily. My immediate thought was that she had been stabbed but I didn't see any fresh blood stains on her skin or clothing. It was only then when I remembered the other person stood there.

* * *

My gaze slid over to my left and I wished I hadn't looked. I had been expecting Clovis, maybe even Gideon as anyone would have been but…I swallowed and yanked my eyes away. I sidled down the corridor, away from the knife; away from them. As I went down the corridor, I could hear whimpers coming from Mina. Something along the lines of "Please…I'm sorry…Don't hurt me…" I looked at the small scene, hoping not to be noticed. I was a few feet away from them when the knife-wielder looked up. "How's the shoulder Delphi?" His silky voice called to me.


	14. Chapter 14

Almost in reply to Nolan's question, my shoulder throbbed painfully. "Why bother asking?" I snapped, moving further down the corridor. He suddenly started moving; his steps matching mine. "Can't I be concerned for you?"

"No, you can't."

"But we share a connection." He drawled, clutching at his chest; looking hurt. The tracker on his arm beeped. His eyes locked onto my arm and they narrowed. "Where is it?" I covered the place he was staring at with my hand.

"Where is what?" He stalked up to me so fast I hardly saw him move. His hand fisted in my hair and he yanked my head backwards. I yelped loudly and tried to pull away from him. "Don't struggle." He hissed. "Where is it? I've not been able to remove mine." He slowly twisted my hair and I whimpered. Suddenly, the train lurched and we fell to the floor. "We're moving…We're moving!" I cried happily. I realised where I was lying and quickly scrambled away. He groaned and sat up, rubbing his head. "Moving, great." He mumbled sarcastically. His gaze locked onto mine, the amber in them dancing before my eyes. He sighed, leant against the wall, glanced down the corridor then back to me. "I'd advise you to put your tracker back on, unless you want another escort on your back about it. They're not all as kind as Clovis." His eyes fell onto my shoulder and he frowned. I pulled a face.

"What?" He looked back up to my face and shook his head.

"Just go put your tracker on." It was my turn to shake my head. He jerked towards me and I scrambled up. There was no way I'd let him come near me again.

"You're messed up man." I muttered, walking away down the corridor. I clenched my hands into fists so he couldn't see how badly I was shaking.

* * *

I frowned. I'd been gone from my room for about 10 minutes and someone had been in and cleaned it. It's not like I'm a messy individual but I'm able to find things better in a ruffled room than a clean one. Nadia was gone but I don't think it would've been her. Out of my peripheral vision, I could see the landscape hurrying by. Soon I would be at the Capitol. "Here tracker, tracker. Come out, come out wherever you are." I muttered, moving over to the various drawers sat against the wall.

* * *

There was a sudden knock on the door and I looked up at it from the pile of clothing I was sat in. "Come in!" I shouted, turning back to the clothes. The door slid smoothly open to reveal the person stood there.

* * *

"Looking for something?" The person in the doorway asked. The familiarity of the voice shocked me. Twisting around, I saw who it was. "D…Davvid?" A holodisk had been placed on the floor just outside of my room and Davvid's image flickered softly. "Hey Del." A single tear rolled down my face and I swatted it away. His warm smile comforted me and made me realise I wouldn't be alone on this journey. "So, are you looking for something?" He asked again. I sniffed and nodded. "Yeah, my tracker."

"Tracker?"

"Yes, a tracker. I chased a guy off the train when we were stuck in District 1 because he bolted it," Davvid's smile disappeared and I saw it replaced with a frown. "Then I got landed with a tracker which I took off when I changed my shirt and now I can't find it." I finished quickly. I saw him shake his head and point. "Is it that there?" My eyes followed his finger and lo and behold, there it was. I attached it to my arm and it bleeped, the little panel glowing green again. Behind my best friends image I saw someone reach for the holodisk. "No!" I cried, but it was too late. He was gone and so was my happiness.


	15. Chapter 15

I left the door open. I didn't care if anyone saw me, curled into a tight ball, sobbing. I sensed people going past, staring into the room then leaving. I hadn't got to say goodbye to Davvid. I'd had the opportunity to do so twice, but I wasn't able to. Once because of blame; once because of surprise.

* * *

"Can all passengers please disembark the train. All passengers off the train." A female, robotic voice said. I lifted myself off the floor and stood before the mirror in the bathroom. I looked a state. My red hair was tangled and stuck up around my head. My skin was marked with creases where I'd been lying on the floor. And my eyes. Eyes that were the colour of storms were tinged red with tears that had fallen and those who had yet to fall. Grabbing the nearest thing to me, I threw it at the mirror with a scream. The glass shattered at the centre, making my tortured image distort and crumble as the pieces fell. Clenching my hands in fists, I put on a false bravado and stepped out of my room for the last time. I traced my steps back from the day I'd got onto this trip to hell. Room. Corridor. Dining room. Entrance. Platform.

* * *

I was blinded by the afternoon light at the Capitol station since I had gotten used to the lights used on the train. My right upper arm was gripped and nails dug into my skin. I winced and looked over. Clarice was stood there, her green eyes shining with hate. She tutted at me. "You look fantastic. What look is this? Tramp?" She asked in a mocking tone, accompanied by a snort.

"Push off Clarice." I muttered, pulling out of her grasp. I had to admit, I did look terrible. My reflection in the cracked mirror had proven it all.

"That stain isn't going to come out." I heard a male voice say behind me. I twisted around to come face to face with 13. His brown eyes didn't smoulder this time; they just stared, glass-like. "What stain?"

"The one on your right shoulder." He gestured with a nod of his head. I looked down and was taken aback. The pure white of my shirt had been stained with a large circle of blood. "So that's what Nolan was staring at earlier…" I said, more to myself than to him. Hearing my name, I looked over my shoulder and saw Clovis gesturing at me to come with him. Not even saying good-bye to 13, I went over to him. "Miss Erwin. For some reason, you have been especially…Selected by President Paylor. She requires you and 3 others to come to the main hall upon arrival at our destination." I frowned.

"Am I allowed to know who the other 3 are?" With a sharp shake of his head, he pointed towards an awaiting car. Sighing, I clambered into it; I was soon followed by Clovis. My journey to the Capitol and my future, I realised, had only just begun.

* * *

We were in the car for about 20 minutes. Our car and the other 12 stopped outside a tall metal and glass building. Clovis got out and told me to stay in the car. I tried to protest but he was already gone by the time I'd opened my mouth. My door opened quickly and I slid out, grumbling under my breath. "Now, when you see the President, you are to act properly and with manners. Do you understand Miss Erwin?" When I didn't reply, he pulled on my chin so I was looking at him. "Do you understand?" I pulled away from him with a snarled

"Yes." He frowned. He was clearly not happy about my attitude. _Not that I care. _

"Move." He said coldly, pushing me between my shoulder blades. I stumbled forward and as I did, I noticed how none of the others were being treated like this. It made me wonder, how was I different? _I'm not anything special. I'm just a normal girl, who…Happens to have a father who wanted to kill President Paylor…Great._


	16. Chapter 16

_I expected this main hall to be big, but not this big. _For once in my life, I had arrived first and on time to something. I looked around, noting the lavish maroon carpet with intricate green and gold swirls running up the centre of the room. The towering marble columns situated next to the carpet, shining in the bright light coming down from the glass roof. A large gold and glass chandelier hung down at the back of the room, over a large throne-like chair. Footsteps echoed around the room and I looked over to where I thought the sound was coming from. A tall man was leaning against the column furthest away from me. "Magnificent, isn't it?" He asked, his deep voice fluttering softly to me.

"You could say that." I murmured, looking down at the floor. Even the floor around the carpet sparkled in the light that didn't quite reach it. I nervously started to plait strands of hair. Glancing up, I saw the man had disappeared. "Strange," I muttered. "I would've heard him-" My words were cut off as I felt a hand brush my cheek. "Dear one, do not be afraid." He whispered, coming around to my front. His hand still lingered on my cheek. "I am not here to harm you." His gaze locked onto mine and for the first time, I noticed how blue they were. Icy blue, almost white around the pupil. He bent his head closer to mine, drawing his thumb over my lips and I shivered slightly. "Torin!" A harsh cry came from behind me. He frowned and slowly pulled away from me, his hand leaving my skin bristling. Quick steps and a woman appeared; her eyes were the same shade as his, but she was different in every other sense. "Torin, you're not supposed to seduce them." She hissed.

"Seducing isn't the word I would use, Tanaka." Their tones of voices were completely different. Torin's was deep, and flowed smoothly with every word he said. Tanaka's was high-pitched and full of sharp angles, waiting to cut you open. "What word would you use then?" She asked. He pulled her away from me and whispered something in her ear. She threw a furtive glance at me and ran out of the room. Torin smiled at me before pushing past. Alone, once again.

* * *

Sighing, I stared out at the room, hoping to see someone else. Anybody. I was currently sat on the floor, leaning against one of the marble pillars. The stone pressed into my back and chilled me to the bone. The leather on my boots was coming off slowly as I picked at it. The scraps floated gently onto the floor. "Delphi," I said to myself. "What a fine mess you're in now. Never done anything bad and you end up here." I leant my head back and it landed on the pillar with a soft thud. The double doors to my right opened with a _swoosh._ The confident figure of President Paylor swept in with two armed guards by her side. Her gaze slid across the room and landed on me. "Get up." She said. Her voice was one of authority, and you wouldn't dare go against it. I quickly stood, pressing myself into the column. Suddenly, I saw 3 shadows in front of me. They stepped into the light, revealing the other 'chosen.'

Clarice.

Nolan.

13…

* * *

"1," she looked to the other adult in the room. "2," to Nolan. "4," her piercing stare landed on me. Then finally to "13." She strode swiftly to the chair at the end of the room. Her guards flanked the sides. "The main 4 of the districts who tried to overthrow me and my government." I was pushed forward roughly, but this time, the others were as well. I was forced onto my knees and my wrists were handcuffed together. _Wow…Déja vu much_. Nolan tried to fight his captor but he was pushed to the floor. "The 4 districts," she continued. "Whose actions were more pronounced than the others." I saw her eyes flicker to Nolan and I began to ask questions. _Why did she look at Nolan then? Was it something to do with what he did or who he was connected to? _Her voice snapped me out of my mental questioning. "Take 1 and 13 away, I need to speak with the 2 others." With groans and angered words, mainly from Clarice, they and their guards marched out of the room.


	17. Chapter 17

"Miss Delphi Erwin; Mr. Nolan Lockhearst." President Paylor said, sitting in the large chair in front of us. By this time, Nolan had clambered onto his knees and was staring daggers at her face. She looked at me. "Miss Delphi Erwin, your family have been found guilty of high treason. Your father was the ring leader in the districts attempt to kill me." I shook my head in denial, whispering

"No." There were tears in my eyes.

"And you Mr. Nolan Lockhearst were his second in command."

* * *

A dark laugh came out of his mouth. "Yes, I was." He slowly got to his feet but…No-one stopped him. "Though, Lucas hardly did anything on the day." The tears that had threatened to fall before had disappeared but they came back, this time out of anger. Adrenaline took over and I dived at his legs. Although my hands were bound behind me, I succeeded in knocking him over. "How could you?" I hissed in his face, putting my knee in the centre of his chest. "How could you?" I repeated, shouting this time. He grimaced, closing his eyes for a fraction of a second. "Because," he started quietly. "That's what I've been trained to do."

"Trained to do? Trained to do what?" His piercing gaze locked onto my face and he smirked before speaking again.

"Kill." He whispered, laughing. My left eye began to twitch. _That's not possible, the districts stopped doing that 20 years ago! _I brought my knee up, smashing it under his chin. His head snapped back, hitting hard on the ground. His eyes fogged over. I was pulled away from him, snarling. "Come on!" I screamed, trying to fight free of whoever was holding me. "Get up and fight me!" He struggled to a sitting position, obviously trying not groan in pain. I felt fingers press onto the thin skin at the base of my neck and black spots appeared in my vision. Just before I became unconscious, I heard a man whisper in my ear. "Now is not the time…"

* * *

Groggily, I awoke. A pounding headache worked its way from my temples across my forehead. Groaning, I sat up, finally taking in my surroundings. It was a small bedroom, but bigger than mine at home was. The furniture was basic but of a flawless design. I pressed a hand to my forehead, breathing heavily through my nose. I swung my legs over the edge of the queen size bed and padded to the door. _Wait…_ I looked down and raised an eyebrow. Gone were the jeans and t-shirt I had arrived in, as were my beloved boots. They had been replaced with jogging bottoms, a loose long sleeved shirt and pumps. All in a uniform grey. "You have got to be kidding me." Granted, I didn't have the nicest body, but I liked to wear nice clothes to show off what I did have. I hadn't inherited Mom's good looks and figure but features from my dad. A long, straight nose and almond shaped eyes. Thin, dark blond hair. A short back but long legs. A bit of puppy fat clinging to my stomach. Mom used to tell me it doesn't matter what you look like, it's what's on the inside that mattered. I snorted to myself. _Yeah right. _After looking at myself, it made me wonder, who had undressed me? A slightly disturbing image of Nolan slowly peeling my clothes off entered my mind and I shook my head, trying to clear it, but it kept creeping back. I dug my fingers into hair and screamed. A long, high-pitched scream that bounced off the walls around me. My knees buckled and I collapsed onto the floor, still screaming.

* * *

_Running again in a forest. Tree branches snag in my hair and twigs scratch at my face. The ground feels blisteringly hot beneath my pumps. A tree root rises below me and I fall. I scramble to the nearest tree and sit up, closing my eyes. The sound heavy breathing appears next to me. I open my eyes and scream. Nolan, a knife in his long fingers, stands there. As he's about to stab my chest, another figure appears out of the trees. Davvid. I see them stare at each other, as different as night and day; fire and ice; tame and wild. They run at each other and collide, turning into a large ball of dust. A scream, a female shriek pierces the night._


End file.
